Located about 100 miles West of Chicago, Castle Rock State Park features one of the ONLY campgrounds that I've visited this close to the city in which I was completely alone. That's right; I had the entire campground to myself, with the exception of my husband, friend, and dog friend. The reason this campground is so empty is because it can not be accessed by car. It is accessible only by canoe/kayak and is meant for people canoeing along the Rock River. Sites can not be reserved and are first-come, first-served. Sites are $6 per nite and each site allows up to 4 adults. There are approximately 9 individual sites and a large group camp site. Sites include small grill-pits and picnic tables and trash/recycling bins are available. A very clean portapotty is also available. Please note that water is not available at the campground and must be boated in. A small park-information stand contains the "permits" that you can purchase on-site and money is collected via the honor system.

For our trip, we parked at the Castle Rock State Park boat launch site, where overnight parking is permitted. From the launch, the canoe campground is approximately 2 miles south down river, located on the west bank. It's a beautiful and easy paddle to the sites. We spent about 40 minutes getting to the campground while also enjoying the unique rock and sandstone formations along the way. The dock at the campground was well-maintained and getting in and out of the water was a breeze. Campsites were also well-maintained, grassy, and shady. At night, we heard screech and barred owls and also observed tons of glow worms hanging out in a small creek that runs into the river. In the morning, the river was bustling with sounds from kingfishers, herons, and flycatchers. Highway 2 which runs nearby was sometimes loud during the day, but quiet at night and easily tuned out. A small road just west of the campground is gated, but can be walked to Highway 2. We used this road to hike up to the scenic overlook.

Paddling back up river was not easy, but it was not impossible. It took approximately 3 hours, allowing for a few breaks to rest. It's definitely a small price to pay for a secluded campsite.

Pros

• beautiful scenery while boating down river
• secluded (on Labor Day weekend no less)
• inexpensive
• quiet
• well-maintained sites, dock, and porta potty
• lots of nearby hiking

Cons

• no water on site, so allow room on your boat for plenty of water
• paddling up river might be difficult for some